


Pokemon Scenarios: Kalos Edition

by PukingPlatitudes



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: X & Y | Pokemon X & Y Versions
Genre: F/F, F/M, Imagines, Reader-Insert, Scenarios, x Reader
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-19
Updated: 2015-12-19
Packaged: 2018-05-07 16:01:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5462585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PukingPlatitudes/pseuds/PukingPlatitudes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You've managed to catch the eye of your favorite trainer from the Kalos region! But what exactly is that going to be like? (Includes player characters, rivals, gym leaders, the elite four, and villains!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pokemon Scenarios: Kalos Edition

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!  
> First off, thanks for clicking. I hope you enjoy the scenarios!  
> Second off, I've tried to include as many characters as possible, but if I missed your favorite just let me know!  
> Also, if you don't see the character you're looking for here, they might be included in the scenarios I've written for a different region, so don't forget to check there too!

【 **Calem** 】

Route Fourteen had a certain sort of charm to it - a charm that was best experienced in groups in broad daylight, or by seeing pictures of it, or perhaps by simply admiring it from afar. But walking along it alone eliminated any sort of allure it might have had. It was dimly lit, and eerie, and trudging through swampy water was proving to be more of a challenge than you had anticipated. With every step you had to remind yourself why you were there in the first place: it was the only place in the region, perhaps even in the world, where you could catch a Goomy.

It would be worth it, eventually. Even  _if_  finding one was proving to be a bigger challenge than you had anticipated.

You had almost reached the northernmost end of the route, and still hadn't had any luck. That is, unless running into fifteen consecutive Stunfisk was some twisted form of "luck" - but you really doubted that. And though your shoes were beginning to fill with mud and water, and your legs were starting to ache, you weren't ready to give up.

Ahead of you, you noticed a dark haired boy wandering along the boggy route. You could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't enjoying himself, and when he got his foot caught in the muck that covered the ground, you couldn't help but giggle.

His gaze turned to you - clearly he had heard you, and he didn't seem all too happy that you had noticed his blunder.

"Sorry." You said, a small smile still on your lips. "That's been happening to me all day. I'm just glad to see I'm not the only one struggling here."

"Yeah, you're definitely not alone with that." He replied, pulling his foot free just to place it back down (an action that resulted in a visible cringe from him). "But," He continued with a sigh, "I need to get some training in."

"And here was really the best option?" You smirked, taking a few steps closer to him, watching the surrounding area for any signs of a Goomy.

He shrugged. "My friends and I are trying to complete the Pokedex for Professor Sycamore, and I'm challenging the gyms. Laverre is going to be out next stop... They went into that house over there..." He gestured to the decrepit building tucked away in the corner of the route. "But I decided to stay back and get some training done."

You nodded, not even bothering to turn and look at the house. You knew the one he was talking about, and all the strange tales surrounding it. In fact, you had gone out of your way to avoid even  _thinking_  about it during your hunt for the small, slimy dragon Pokemon.  And you had a strange feeling that he was just as creeped out by it as you were. "Right, you needed to train... Sure you aren't just too afraid?" You teased, suppressing another giggle.

"What? No! I just need to make sure I'm prepared to face Valerie." He was clearly defensive - and even more clearly, a horrible liar.

"Mmhmm. Yeah, I get that. Sounds legit." You couldn't fight back the smile forming on your face.

"Well, would  _you_  want to go in there?"

"Nope." You laughed. "I'm not even gonna  _fake_  being brave."

"Exactly." The expression on his face was smug, but quickly changed as he tilted his head to look behind you. "Is that a...?"

You cocked your brow, and turned to see what he was staring at.

Making its way through the mud, just a few yards away from you, was a Goomy.

"I gotta go."  You said to the grey eyed boy."I've been looking for one of these all day."

"Good luck."

"Thanks. I'll see you around."

Your eyes never left the Pokemon as you stumbled through the swamp in a desperate effort to reach it.

 

【 **Serena** 】

A faint chatter filled Santalune Forest, occasionally interrupted by the sound of Pokemon battles, and punctuated with eager giggles and raucous laughter. You could tell,without a doubt, that there were new trainers in the woods, just starting out on their journey. Professor Sycamore had mentioned something about sending another group of trainers out to help with the Pokedex, but admittedly you were too distracted by the Kanto region starter Pokemon running around his office to pay much attention to what he was going on about. And you had to wonder if these were the trainers he was talking about.

The group was growing closer, and two girls finally came around a corner. with a Fennekin and a Chespin trotting alongside them. You tried to turn your attention back to your Pokemon, and continue on with your training, but you were struggling to take your eyes off of the honey haired girl making her way towards you. Fortunately, a rustling in the nearby grass was enough to tear your attention away. Yet by the time you turned your head, whatever it was had already left.

You uttered a disappointed sigh and looked over at your Pokemon, who gave you a gesture that can best be described as a shrug. "We're just not having any luck today, huh?" You muttered, almost in defeat.

You heard footsteps growing closer, and you felt your heart begin to pound against your ribs. You looked back over at the girls (even though you were really only focused on one of them) and gave them a smile. A smile which they returned.

After a second, you managed to get enough nerve up to speak. "Hey. You guys wouldn't happen to be some of the new trainers Professor Sycamore was talking about, would you?"

Was that too creepy? That felt kind of creepy. If cringing at your own words wouldn't make you look even stranger, that definitely would have been your next course of action.

"Yep!" The shorter of the two girls said, her green eyes sparkling. "I'm Shauna. And this is Serena!"

 _Serena_. It seemed fitting.

"I'm (Y/N)." You replied.

"It's nice to meet you." Serena said, her voice sweet and sincere. "So, you know Professor Sycamore?"

"Yeah, I've been helping him fill out the Pokedex for a while." You explained. "He seems really excited to have you guys helping out."

"Really?" Shauna chirped. If her face could light up any more than it already had, it probably would have.

You nodded. "Mmhmm. Something about seeing a lot of potential in you guys."

" _Potential_! That reminds me!" The dark haired girl turned to Serena. "We still need  to try and beat Calem out of here!"

"Oh... Uh..." Serena hesitated, glancing over at you, back to her friend, and then back to you. "Right... I'm really sorry. We'll probably run into each other again though, right?"

"Yeah, definitely!"

"Bye, (Y/N)! See you soon!" Shauna grabbed the strap to Serena's bag and darted off further into the forest.

You stood there for a second, silently hoping to yourself that you really  _would_  get to see them again... Or at least see Serena.

 

【 **Tierno** 】

The only thing on your mind as you raced through Coumarine City was that you needed to get to the train station, and make it to the gym before it closed. The sun was long gone, leaving just the moon and stars to reflect over the ocean. If you weren't in such a hurry, perhaps you would have stopped to admire the sight. But you couldn't even consider that as a possibility. 

In your state of near tunnel vision, you didn't notice that you weren't alone on the dock. That is, until you felt someone collide with you, sending you falling to the stone walkway. The pain, while not unbearable, was still enough to shake the panic from your mind, though only for a second. You laid on the ground, with the air knocked from your lungs, trying to reorient yourself.

"Woah, are you okay!?" A boy leaned over you, his eyes wide with concern. 

"Sorta." You groaned, propping yourself up on your elbows. "Sorry about that."

"It's good. I didn't see you there." He said with a light laugh - one that struck you as more out of nervousness than humor.

"Not your fault. I should have been paying attention." You gave him a smile in hopes of reassuring him.

"How about we split the blame?" He suggested, offering a hand to help you up.

"I guess that could work." You took his hand, and he pulled you to your feet.

"Why were you in such a hurry, anyway? Like, if that's not too nosy, or anything."

"I'm on my way to the gym. Or, train station.. Then the gym." You noticed his hand hadn't left yours. "What're you doing out here?"

"Oh, I was just practicing some moves with my Pokemon." He looked down at his hand, fingers still wrapped around yours, and let go with a sheepish chuckle. "I'm making a Pokemon dance team, and I can't practice with them in the Pokemon Center."

That comment piqued your interest. You had never heard of somebody creating a Pokemon dance team - or, more accurately, somebody who wasn't a star in contests or musicals creating a dance team. "Really? You'll have to show me what you've been working on sometime."

"Sure! I'm gonna be staying at the hotel for a few days. Room 108. If you ever wanna hang just let me know." He beamed. "But you better get to the gym. Good luck!"

"Thanks, uh..." You gave a vague gesture in his direction, hoping for him to fill in the blank with his name.

"Tierno."

"Tierno? Awesome. I'll see you tomorrow or something." You began walking.

"Wait, I didn't get your name!" He shouted after you.

"(Y/N)!" You answered, before turning and darting off to the station.

 

【 **Trevor** 】

The redheaded boy in the Geosenge Pokemon Center was intriguing, to say the least. He had spent most of the day sitting and reading, with a stack of books by his side that was almost equal in height with the stool he was sitting on. You had been in and out of the center, and each and every time you saw him he was flipping through pages with a pensive expression, or intensely scanning paragraphs for  _something_. It was clear he was researching something, but you had absolutely no idea what that something was.

Eventually your curiosity got the better of you, and you decided to ask him.

"Hey." You said, walking over to the table he was seated at.

"Oh, hello." He replied, glancing up from his book.

"I noticed you've been in here like all day reading, and I was just curious what it's about. You seem pretty absorbed in it." It was a struggle not to come off as overbearing. and you were kind of worried that you were going to weird him out.

He looked surprised that you were interested, but the corners of his lips began to curl into a small grin. "They say that the stones here have some sort of strange power But I'm sure you've heard about that."

"Vaguely."

"Well, I'm trying to see if there's anything that might explain  _why_. "

"Any leads yet?"

"Not really." He sighed. "The most I've come across regarding strange energies contained in stones is information about mega evolution."

You pursed your lips, leaning against the table. "Is there any chance they might be linked?"

"No, I don't think so. But I can't find enough evidence to say for sure."

"Isn't there some place not too far form here that specializes in that? Maybe they've got some information there that could clear things up a bit."

"That's a very good suggestion." He smiled. "I'll have to look into that more."

You shrugged. "It's just an idea. But I've gotta get back to training, so I'll leave you to your reading. It was nice meeting you."

"You too, thanks."

You couldn't fight back your smile as you walked away.

 

【 **Shauna** 】

You had passed the two Skiddo waiting outside the Lumiose Station almost every day, and they were always laying there looking forlorn. When you asked people about them, they told you the story of how their trainer left them there, and never returned for them. From that day forth you made it a point to visit them as often as possible, and brought them snacks whenever you could afford to. You couldn't replace their trainer, and you couldn't even bother trying, but you  _could_  make sure that they were taken care of and loved. 

Usually, you were alone in giving them affection. It seemed like the locals had just grown accustomed to their presence, and most people visiting the city didn't realize that they were abandoned. 

The sunny afternoon that you first met the petite brunette, you were sitting there on the pavement with the tiny goat Pokemon, feeding them bits of some muffins you picked up at a nearby cafe. She had noticed you - or more accurately, the Pokemon  _near_  you - and from what you gathered she couldn't resist coming over.

"Aw!" She cooed, crouching down to get a better look at the Skiddo. "They're  _so_  cute!" Her green eyes were sparkling in delight. "Are they yours!?"

"I wish." You said with a laugh, giving one of the Pokemon a bit more food. "They're waiting for their trainer."

"Oh..." She nodded, sitting on the ground near you, scratching the closest Skiddo behind its ear. "When are they going to be back?"

You gave a shrug, trying not to seem too glum about their situation. "They haven't been back for ages. Not sure how long, but some people are guessing years. But clearly they were a good trainer, because their Pokemon have been waiting ever since."

A visible pout formed on her face as she pulled that same, now mildly confused Skiddo, into her arms. "That's so sad!"

"Yeah, seriously." You replied, stealing a bite of a muffin for yourself. "So I just come here and hang out with them sometimes. Feed them and stuff..."

A smile returned and lit up her features. "That's super nice of you!" She paused, as an idea seemed to hit her. She rummaged briefly in her bag and held out some berries, which the Skiddo happy ate. "So what's your na-"

She was interrupted by the beeping of her Holo Caster, and let out a disappointed groan.

"I guess I'll be seeing you around?" You gave a hopeful smile to the girl.

"Yeah! Definitely!

You were really hoping she was right.

 

【 **Sycamore** 】

You were broke.

That was just about the only thing you could be sure of anymore, and it was the  _last_  thing you wanted to be a fact. But regardless of what you wanted, it was your reality and you were stuck trying to live with it.

You had taken up doing odd jobs in Lumiose City in order to get some extra cash, which would hopefully be enough to get you back on your feet and traveling like you wanted to. It's not that biking around the city to deliver pizza wasn't thrilling and respectable, it's just that... Actually, come to think of it, that was  _exactly_  the issue, and completely true. But you were making good money, mostly in tips, and you were described as a "valuable employee", so that took the edge off the humiliation (at least a little bit).

It was a busy Friday night when you were sent on a delivery to the Pokemon Lab.

You made your way up the steps, and into the building, where you saw a tidy, spacious lobby, occupied only by a blonde woman sitting behind the desk.

"Hello." She said with a smile upon noticing your arrival. "Are you here to - Oh! Wait, you're here with the pizza!"

"Yeah, that's me." You laughed, holding up the delivery bag in your arms.

"I'll let them know you're here." She hit a button (you assumed it was the intercom) and announced that the pizza was here. You heard a muffled reply over a speaker behind the desk, and she smiled. "Thank you." She turned her attention back to you. "Alright, someone will be down in a moment."

"Thanks." You said with a nod.

You proceeded to stand there, trying to ignore the looming awkward silence in the room. 

Finally, there was the ding of an elevator, and a dark haired man stepped off. It didn't take you more than a few seconds to figure out that he was Professor Sycamore. You hadn't met him before, but you had heard about him, and he fit the description you were given. Namely the "gorgeous" part.

You tried to ignore that. Gawking at him wasn't going to help you get paid.

"Hello." He smiled. "I hope your ride across town wasn't too bad."

 _Okay, ignoring his looks was definitely going to be hard_.

"Not at all." You managed. "It was a little crazy in parts, but at least it wasn't boring."

He chuckled, making you even weaker in the knees. "I suppose that is an excellent way to look at it... How much was the bill?"

"It's uh..." You pulled out his receipt and looked at it. "3300 Pokedollars"

"Only?"

You nodded, rereading it to make sure.

"Fantastic! Here you are." He handed you the money, and you in turn gave him the pizza. "And this is for you." He pulled out a few more Pokedollars and placed then directly into your hand. You looked down, and your eyes grew wide.

"Are you...  _sure_?" There were 4000 extra Pokedollars sitting in your hand, and you found it hard to believe that somebody would intentionally tip you more than they paid for their order. 

"Of course."

"Thank you so much." 

"You are  _so_  welcome." 

He gave you a wink and headed back to the elevator, leaving you feeling rather flustered.

 

【 **Viola** 】

It had been a long walk to Santalune City, and by the time your reached it you didn't hesitate to collapse on the first bench you found. It was a sunny day, reasonably warm with a slight breeze, and with how relaxing it was you could have fallen asleep right on the spot. That is, if your partner Pokemon didn't jump onto the bench beside you and let out an exaggerated, and somewhat pathetic whine.

"What?" You asked, eyeing them as you tried to figure out what they were communicating.

They indicated that whatever it was they wanted was in your bag, and you instantly figured out what they were after.

"Really? I just fed you like an hour ago!"

They grumbled indignantly, and you grumbled right back in a mocking manner before inevitably giggling and saying "fine". You reached into your bag and pulled out their favorite snack, giving it to them before resuming your well deserved rest.

Just as your eyelids began to close, you heard footsteps approach you. They stopped nearby, and you opened your eyes back up out of curiosity.

You saw the gym leader, Viola, standing there near you, a pensive expression on her face that vanished once she noticed you saw her.

"Hey! Sorry." She smiled, despite her cheeks turning a faint shade of pink. "I just saw you and your Pokemon sitting there and... There's just something about the two of you."

You cocked your brow, still thoroughly confused.

"Uh, I should probably explain a little better, huh? I'm Viola. I'm the gym leader. And a photographer. And I was wondering if I might be able to get a picture of you two sitting there together."

It was a flattering offer, and you could't really turn it down. "Yeah. That would be fine."

That would be  _more_  than fine, but you didn't want to come off as too eager.

It was only a few seconds before she snapped a picture, followed by a few others for good measure.

"You two are really good subjects." She grinned. "If you ever feel like doing some actual modeling, you can give me a call."

She fished in her pocket and pulled out a business card. "Thank you." You beamed, taking it in your hand. "I might just have to take you up on that."

"I hope you do."

 

【 **Grant** 】

You had no idea how your friends talked you in to taking part in a bike race with them. One minute you were discussing stopping to get food in Cyllage City, and the next you were pedaling up a winding road, gasping for air and trying your hardest not to look over the edge and down towards what could easily be your untimely demise. It wasn't exactly your idea of "fun" but turning around where you were at would have been dangerous, and the only other way down was the steep, rather deadly looking slope you were going to be forced to go down either way. You couldn't help but wonder if your friends had a death wish, or if this was their not-so-subtle way of trying to get rid of you. 

You reached the top of the pathway, and all that was left was that dreaded hill down. You stopped at the top, and stared down, hoping that you'd see that it wasn't as bad as it looked. But the longer you thought about it, the worse it seemed. Taking a deep breath, you put one foot back on the pedal, and kicked off.

The wind was tearing through your hair, and your eyes were watering from the rush of air. You could feel your heart pounding in your chest, meanwhile it felt as if you had left your stomach back at the top. You weren't sure if you wanted to laugh or scream, but it was likely the latter as you picked up speed so rapidly that maintaining control of the bike was starting to become a struggle.

You came to the bottom, and were met with about five feet of flat ground before a sudden bump in the pavement, sending the front wheel out from beneath you. You tried to catch yourself as you fell, but even with one foot on the ground, with the velocity of your fall, you couldn't keep your balance.

You hit the ground, tumbling across the pavement and dirt, and within a matter of seconds you felt yourself fall yet again, over some sort of edge.

There was a splash, followed by the realization that you were in rather frigid water.  _Shallow_  frigid water, you noticed, as you were basically sitting in it.

There was the sound of tires grinding to a halt on cement.

"Are you okay?" An unfamiliar voice asked.

"I'm fine." You replied, eyeing the many scrapes you got from the crash. "My dignity is a little damaged though."

Your comment earned a laugh. "Well, I guess that could be worse." You heard him walk over towards you, grey eyes peering down from the pathway where you fell. "Do you want some help?"

He extended his hand down towards you, and you reluctantly took it, worried that you might accidentally pull him into the water as well.

He was strong - surprisingly so given his lean build - and managed to hoist you out of the water almost effortlessly.

"Thanks." You said, shifting uncomfortably in your saturated clothing. "I appreciate that."

"It's not a problem." He finally let go of your hand. "You should probably go dry off, huh?"

You nodded and gave a noncommittal shrug.

"You go do that. I'll see you around."

 

【 **Korrina** 】

You were beyond prepared for the battle with Korrina.

What you  _weren't_  prepared for was her gym itself.

You had gotten the hang of skating, and racing around the rink to face the trainers was relatively easy (as were the actual battles). There was only one tiny issue.

 _Stopping_.

You had taken to grabbing onto the guard rails and catching yourself on the walls when you had to stop to battle, because there would be absolutely no other way you'd be able to manage slowing yourself down. You couldn't help but wonder why  _anyone_  thought that would be a good setup for a gym. Working under the pretense that every trainer passing through would know how to skate, or be even remotely good at it.

But you weren't willing to let some minor difficulties interfere with your changes of earning yourself the third Kalos gym badge. 

After several battles, the path to Korrina was clear, and you were ready to go face her. It took you a moment to gather your courage to ride the rail down to the center arena where the battle would take place. But once you were confident that you  _wouldn't_  fall off the railing and break anything important, it went overwhelmingly well.

Right up until the bar ended, but your couldn't stop the forward momentum. You tried shifting your weight, changing the way your skates hit the ground, reaching for anything that might slow you down even a little bit. But there was nothing that could help you.

You only seemed to pick up speed until you hit something - or, more accurately, slammed into something with your face. There was a harsh crack, and you felt your nose pop. There was pain. Nothing you couldn't handle, but enough to make your eyes begin to water. Possibly because of the proximity, you figured, not because it hurt that bad. 

"Woah! Are you okay!?" A girl's (incredibly startled) voice rang out.

"Huh? Yeah. Yeah, it's good." You backed up slightly, relieved to have stopped, regardless of the reasons. You finally had a good look at the girl you had hit. It was, unsurprisingly, Korrina.

"A-are you....  _sure_  about that?" There was a mildly horrified expression on her face.

"Yeah? Why?"

"Uh, well. I mean..." She gestured down at your torso, and your eyes followed.

It became clear that the pop you had felt couldn't be easily dismissed - it was bleeding, heavily, and your clothes showed it. "... Point taken." There was a brief silence, not awkward, but tense. Neither of you knew how to handle the situation. "I should probably... Uh... Go clean up, huh?"

She giggled. "Yeah, I think that might be good. Unless you  _want_  to battle covered in blood."

"As badass as that sounds, I think I'm gonna have to pass."

"If you insist." She feigned disappointment with your decision. "Need me to walk you out?"

"I think I got it." You grumbled, before turning to leave.

 

【 **Ramos** 】

"I ordered skim, this is  _clearly_  nonfat!"

"Sir, they're  _exactly_  the same."

You had been stuck waiting in line at your favorite cafe for a solid ten minutes behind a very disgruntled customer. The line was beginning to stretch out the door, and absolutely no progress had been made in getting it moving. The barista seemed to be at her wits end, and the more she tried to explain to the customer that he was, in fact,  _wrong_ , the worse it got. She had made him two fresh coffees, repeating, "yes, skim milk, I am putting skim in here", but somehow the customer  _still_  didn't believe her.

And you couldn't believe  _him_. There was no way somebody could be that insufferably stupid, but apparently he was proving you wrong.

"I ask for something simple. A plain, black coffee, with  _skim_. Is it that hard to figure out!?"

"... If it has cream in it, it's not black coffee."

"Not cream,  _skim_!"

"He can't be serious." You heard an older man say with a chuckle behind you.

"I'm really hoping he isn't." You replied, turning around to see who was talking to you. He was a rather short, and perhaps "older" was an understatement. But with large ears and rosy cheeks, you had to admit there was something adorable about him. And familiar. "... You're Ramos, right?"

"Yeh got that right." He beamed. "Are yeh a trainer?"

"I am! I actual-"

" ** _Skim_**  isn't a hard concept to grasp!"

The customer was shouting, completely irate at that point.

You tried to stifle your laughter, but it was a struggle. Ramos could tell - and seemed to be straining just as much to keep a straight face.

"I have never met someone who gets this worked up over coffee." You managed between choked giggles.

"I wouldn't know much about that." Ramos grinned, only slightly better at maintaining his composure. "More of a tea person m'self. They have some of the best here."

You hadn't tried the tea there - but with the gym leader approving of it, you couldn't help but be curious. "Really? Any suggestions?"

"Their green tea with blueberry is good,  I'd say, if yer lookin' for something to try."

"That's it!" The customer's voice was clear over any other chatter in the cafe. "I give up!"

With that, he stormed out.

You turned back around to the very confused and exasperated barista.

"Afternoon." She sighed, fatigue showing in her voice, along with what sounded like a subtle plea for the sweet release of death. "What can I get you?"

You looked back at Ramos and smiled. You, of course, ordered the green tea with blue berry. There wasn't any way you couldn't.

 

【 **Clemon** **t** 】

You had been looking forward to Clemont's gym for quite some time, for several reasons. First, there was the obvious reason of wanting to make it further in the league. Then, there were the other reasons, such as wanting to see the inside of that tower that towered over Lumiose City, and the fact that you found the gym leader himself to be pretty cute. But you liked to leave that last reason out when talking to your friends about how excited you were to be training for that long-awaited battle. Of course, they all knew. It wasn't a very well kept secret. However, you figured that as long as Clemont didn't know, then everything was fine and nothing was awkward.

That was your only concern when you entered the gym and began battling with the trainers in there - making sure nothing was awkward.

It was a total success. You aced the riddles and won the battles with ease.

There wasn't a single thing that had gone wrong since you entered the gym, and while that would usually make you worry that something would fall apart at any given moment, you had been taken over by optimism. You had just defeated the last trainer before Clemont, and you felt unstoppable.

You stepped onto the elevator that would bring you to the top level - to the battle you had been waiting for.

The platform was rising, and you tried to calm your racing heart.

 _Three_...

 _Two_...

 _One_...

And...

And you stopped moving, but you  _definitely_  weren't face to face with Clemont. 

In fact, you weren't face to face with anyone, or any _thing_  but the hard, metal interior of the lift's tunnel, and light coming down from the room above.

The lift had somehow stopped working, leaving you stranded in what was essentially a glorified hole in the ground. Looking up, it was pretty clear that you wouldn't be able to just reach up and pull yourself out of it. Which made the situation, in your humble opinion, much,  _much_  worse. 

"Uh... (Y/N)?" You heard Bonnie's voice from up above, a very obvious tone of concern hanging on every word. "(Y/N)?"

"Down here." You replied, trying to hide your agitation.

"Oh..." She walked over and stared down at you, and your visibly displeased expression. "That's not supposed to happen.... Clemont!"

You heard footsteps approaching, and were met with a similar pair of grey eyes, peering out from behind glasses. "Huh... That's... Not good."

"I kinda figured." You could feel your face heating up. This was the most unfortunate way you could have met him.

"I'm going to go see what I can do to fix this. I'll be back. Just, wait right there." He instructed, scampering off.

"Is it like I have a choice!?"

 

【 **Valerie** 】

She was like nobody you'd ever seen.

Otherworldly would be the first word you'd use to describe her - or maybe the term would be "ethereal".

Or maybe there just weren't any words in the English language that could be put together that would even begin to convey her beauty.

From her appearance, to her clothing, to the way she moved, she seemed more like a specter of some sort than an actual, tangible human being.

But that was the last thing you needed to be focusing on - you were standing before her in her gym and she was talking, saying something that you weren't entirely catching because you were still trying to process how incredibly gorgeous she was. It was sad, maybe even pathetic, how distracted you were. You couldn't help it, though. She was one of a kind.

"Fairy types may appear frail as a breeze, and delicate as a bloom, but they are strong." Even her voice was captivating.  _Shit_. "Whenever you're ready, we can battle."

"I-I'm..." Wow, this was going  _great_. "I'm ready. Yeah. I'm good."

"Are you... positive?" She hardly cocked her brow, but her dark eyes communicated everything.

"Sure. I'm set. Let's do this."

"If you insist."

With those words, the battle began.

She commanded her Pokemon with ease - a pretty notable contrast from you, and your unfortunate muttering and mangling of orders. By this point, you were less flustered by Valerie, and more by your complete inability to function. If you had just handled yourself well to begin with, you wouldn't have gotten embarrassed. And if you hadn't gotten embarrassed, then you wouldn't have been failing so miserably at functioning. And the more you failed at functioning, the more embarrassed you got. It created a vicious cycle.

A cycle that was ended with Valerie's Sylveon landing a finishing hit on your final Pokemon.

You grumbled, returning your unconscious Pokemon to its ball. It was regrettable how much of a disaster the whole experience had been. From start to finish, there wasn't a single thing that had gone right.

"Well, that was uh... humiliating." You said with a sigh.

Valerie giggled - soft and airy. "It could have gone worse."

"I'm pretty sure you're only saying that because you won."

A small smile formed on her lips. "Regardless, I look forward to our rematch."

 

【 **Olympia** 】

Miserable.

That was the best word to sum up your entire time at the Anistar Gym.

The walkways were transparent and weaving, and with the celestial walls and ceiling that were so believable you almost forgot you were in a room, you were left stressed and dizzy. You had gotten lost more times than you could count and although the battles were easy to win, navigating was impossible and the warp pads were leaving you nauseous.

By the time you reached Olympia, you were, as stated "miserable".

More specifically, you were queasy, and seething with rage. Which, in the grand scheme of things, is equivalent to absolute misery. 

Olympia stood tall, and began to speak. "A ritual to decide your fate and-"

"Okay, yeah, I don't mean to be rude but can we  _please_  skip the formalities." You said, shifting your weight in an attempt to steady yourself as your head continued spinning. "I'm sorry. I just. I'm not doing so good right now."

"Very well then." She replied. It was hard to determined whether or not she was concerned - but you didn't really care. You just wanted to get it over with.

And getting it over with was a challenge, not only because of your state but because of how talented the gym leader was.

But you overcame it.

After a grueling hour long battle, you won. You won a victory so incredible that if you felt any better you might have even celebrated it. Instead, you called back your Pokemon and tried to ease your breathing. 

Olympia approached you and held out a gleaming gold and purple badge. "A testament to your skill. Proof of your power." 

You took the badge from her. "Thank you."

"You are welcome... Back to where you came. You can be transported there,"

"Yeah. I'd like to  _not_  have to go back through all that again."

"It couldn't have been that bad."

"Oh. It was."

 

【 **Wulfric** 】

You had heard about the Pokemon Village, but you weren't entirely sure if it really existed. It sounded like something out of a children's story, and there was a very good chance that it was. That didn't stop you from deciding to look for it, however, and when you found yourself in Snowbelle City, you made it your goal to find it.

Theoretically, it should have been easy. There wasn't much going on in Southeast Kalos, so something -  _anything_  - of interest would stand out fairly well.

The only problem was that you had to wander through a winding forest, time and time again stumbling across dead ends. 

The sun was low in the sky by the time you admitted defeat, and the air was growing cool and crisp. Your breath hung in the air before you, and a chill was beginning to settle on your skin. There was a notable concern growing in the back of your mind - maybe you wouldn't be able to find your way back.

A twig snapped behind you, causing you to jump.

You prepared to battle, assuming it was a Pokemon.

If it wasn't a Pokemon? Running was also a reasonable option.

"Hey." A man's voice said, prompting you to turn around. "You seem a little lost."

Erring on the side of caution, you chose not to admit that. Instead asking, "What makes you think that?"

"Y'know... The aimless wandering seems like a red flag." There was a chuckle in his voice.

As he stepped closer, you recognized him as Wulfric, leader of the Snowbelle Gym. You began to let your guard down - you had only heard good things about the man, and most importantly, if anyone could help you find your way back to civilization, it would be him.

"You caught me." You replied with a smirk. "So, any idea how I could get back to Snowbelle from here?"

"Of course!" He said with a grin. "C'mon. I'll show you."

The two of you began the trek back to Snowbelle with very few words. You were too cold to talk, and he didn't seem entirely sure what to say. 

After what seemed like forever, he spoke up. "Why were you wandering those woods this late, anyway?"

"I was uh..." You let out a sheepish giggle. "You know those stories about the Pokemon Village?"

"I do."

"Well, I was trying to find it. I know, I know. It sounds stupid. But-"

"It doesn't sound stupid." He looked down at you, a shimmer in his silver eyes.

"It doesn't?"

"Not at all. In fact..." He paused - hesitated, almost. "It is real, you know."

"Wait, seriously?"

"Of course." He grinned, with a laugh just hardly passing his lips. "Maybe I'll show you sometime... But for now, I think we're going to have to say goodbye."

You looked up and noticed that you were in Snowbelle - not the outskirts, but wandering the streets, nearing the Pokemon center. It seemed that you had gotten so caught up in your conversation that you lost track of what you were doing. 

"I'll see you around, I guess?" You asked, hopefully.

"I hope so."

 

【 **Malva** 】

You were shopping in Lumiose City with Serena.

And by "shopping", I mean you were wandering around, and drooling over everything that you were too poor to afford.

Of course, just because you couldn't buy 90% of the things you wanted, didn't mean that it wasn't fun. You two were having a great time, trying on clothes and eyeing pastries far too expensive for the portions you'd get (and sometimes your depressed staring would even win you free samples of the sweets, so there was nothing to complain about).

In a boutique, you made eye contact with a woman. You recognized her face, but you couldn't place it. All you knew is that she had a rather intimidating presence, and looks that could kill. Actually, it  _looked_  like  _she_  could kill. 

You slowly worked your way over to her, pretending that you were just casually browsing, and your approach was nothing more than a coincidence. Every now and then you would glance over to see if she was looking at you, hoping ever-so-desperately that she was. Occasionally you'd catch a glance, but it would never be sustained. Maybe she wasn't interested, or maybe she was playing coy. Or maybe she was just confused about the person slowly, and rather un-subtly working their way over to her in an otherwise empty store. All of those seemed plausible, but you were hoping it was option two.

You heard the click of heels on tile floor approaching you. You kept your eyes pinned on the clothing in front of you - turning around eagerly would just make it seem obvious that you were hoping it was  _her_  coming over.

"I have to ask..." A woman's voice began, her tone enough to send shivers down your spine. "Where  _did_  you get that outfit?"

You turned to see if your suspicions were true - and there she was, the pink haired woman you were praying it was.

"It looks absolutely fantastic on you."

"Thanks." You replied, feeling your face flush, and fighting back a giddy grin. "I actually got it in Snowbelle City. Well, most of it. I don't remember where I got the shoes... But I mean, I should be asking you the same thing. You look  _great_." You cringed internally at your own words. It seemed less like you were complimenting her attire, and more like you were complimenting her looks. And while it was true that was basically what you were doing, you didn't want it to be so apparent.

"Well, thank you." Her lips pulled into a sly grin. "I try my hardest."

"I really doubt it takes you much effort."

You caught yourself speaking without thinking - and you just straight up called this stranger hot. A+ job.

"Hey, (Y/N)!" Serena chirped, walking over to you. Her pace slowed and her expression changed when she noticed the woman beside you. And the woman? She took a step back, her Cheshire grin warping into an indignant frown. "Oh, Malva. I didn't know you were here."

"I was just leaving." The woman - Malva, as you now knew - spat. She turned and left without hesitation.

"What was that about?" You asked, slightly upset by her exit.

"It's a long story..."

 

【 **Siebold** 】

You just wanted to beat the Elite Four without anything abnormally unpleasant happening.

That was it - just that one simple wish.

And then Siebold had to go and fuck it up for you.

It wasn't intentional. It wasn't even him personally. It was the setup of his particular chamber, and that Arceus forsaken fountain - or perhaps the right term is "geyser" - system he had set up in there. 

It made for a cool effect, and was enough to make just about anybody's jaw drop. You even had to take a moment to watch it in awe. But that moment was quickly swept away by the dawning realization that you were about to be completely and utterly drenched in a matter of seconds. The most you could do was close your eyes and brace yourself for what turned out to be a torrent of water crashing down. 

You opened your eyes, trying to readjust after what just happened.

The first thing you could be sure of was that you were drenched. Your hair was sticking to your face and neck, and your clothes were clinging to your skin. The room was filled with water that reached the tops of your ankles, and you cringed at the realization that you were going to have to spend the next three battles, and your potential fight against the champion, with wet socks. Soggy hair and clothing was irritating, but wet socks were in a category all their own.

You waded your way over to the steps leading to Siebold, your face twisting into an indignant frown as you took your first step onto the staircase and felt a familiar, unpleasant squish in your shoes.

Cue intense bitterness.

You approached the blonde man, not even  _trying_  to hide the scowl plastered on your face.

Luckily for you, he was turned around, seemingly lost in thought, muttering something to himself.

"No, I simply can't say." You heard him say, before he turned to face you. "You there!"

Usually, you might have jumped at his sudden exclamation - his loud voice echoing off of the high ceiling. But you didn't care enough to react. You couldn't even muster the enthusiasm to change your facial expression. 

"Do you think Pokemon battling could ever be worthy of being called an art?"

You stared at him with an agitated expression, not sure if he was really expecting a reply from you. When he cocked his brow and tilted his head ever-so-slightly, you realized he  _was_  expecting you to answer. Your lip curled as you finally uttered "...  _Sure_."

It seemed he was picking up on your irritation. "Indeed..." He replied. "You see, cooking is the type of art that disappears as soon as it's completed. Pokemon battles are the same."

It was a struggle not to roll your eyes as he continued.

"To devote yourself entirely to such a life, made up of fleeting experiences... That is truly artful."

Your look of agitation changed to a blank stare - he couldn't be serious. He was right, of course. But that really wasn't the time to get into philosophy. You just wanted to finish up so you could go take off your shoes and socks... And maybe finish the rest of your battles for that day regrettably barefoot.

"That's one way to look at it." You replied, trying to direct the topic back on track. "Ready for  _another_  fleeting experience?" You grabbed a Pokeball, and prepared to battle.

"Very well. Let us begin."

And it ended as quickly as it started - and you won an overwhelming victory. Partly because of talent, partly because of determination, because you weren't willing to lose and have to go back through his room any time in the near future.

"You are incredibly strong." He sounded astonished. "I won't be forgetting this battle."

"I'm flattered." You muttered, turning to leave.

You didn't want to be rude to him, but you were too miserable to care.

 

【 **Wikstrom** 】

"Well met, challenger!"

You stared wide-eyed at the imposing man before you.

"I am the Elite Four's famed blade of hardened steel, Wikstrom!"

He continued to talk - his voice as loud and booming as could be expected. You tried to listen to him, you  _really_  did, but it was a challenge. You were too amused by how serious he was. His demeanor seemed  _naturally_  stern, as if he wasn't physically able of being any other way. He held himself with an intense sort of professionalism that was foreign to you. After challenging every gym leader and every other member of the Elite Four, you had gotten used to going against trainers that were strong, but rarely that serious about anything other than their battles.

So Wikstrom?

Wikstrom was a novelty.

"Ready?"

His voice pulled you back to reality.

"R-ready," You replied, not entirely sure you were telling the truth.

"En garde!"

You fumbled to get your Pokeball prepared, and sent out your first Pokemon.

And it became a swift defeat.

Apparently his fittingly steely demeanor wasn't just for show. He was unflinching in combat and that sort of confidence could have attributed to his win - that and the fascination that had overcome you. 

Regardless, you had messed up, and messed up  _bad_. He was the last member of the elite four standing between you and the champion and somehow  you had lost to him. Now you were going to have to go through it all again.

"Glorious!" He bellowed, recalling his Aegislash. "You put up a valiant effort!"

"Thanks." You replied, still mildly amused by him. "I try... You fought pretty good yourself."

"Why thank you." A grin spread on his face - something unexpected. "I await our next meeting."

"So do I."

 

【 **Drasna** 】

You were fairly excited to go up against Drasna.

Dragon type Pokemon had a reputation for their strength, and the challenges they could present in battle, and that was exactly what you were looking forward to. Which is part of the reason why you saved her for last - because if you had managed to defeat all of the others, you'd know for a fact you could defeat  _her_  too.

You approached her with your head held high, and even though you felt brimming with confidence, the way your heart raced in your chest made you realize that you were still, deep down, at least a little bit nervous.

That changed when you saw the woman's bright, smiling face.

"Oh goodness!" She chirped. "Hello to you!"

"How's it going?" You replied with a grin - you weren't sure when you  _started_  grinning, but you couldn't help it. She was just so pleasant.

"Very good, thank you!" She beamed. "Where have you traveled here from?"

It seemed a bit like casual small talk, but she struck you as sincerely interested.

You told her your hometown, your mind drifting back to the first day of your journey. "What about you? Where are you from?"

"Oh, I'm from Kalos. But my grandparents... They came from a distant region... A town where the past lives on." She reminisced. "They raised me on tales of the Pokemon of time and space..."

"Dialga and Palkia?"

"You're familiar with the stories?" She gave you a look, the same expression of glee on her face, but tinged with a newly found warmth.

"Of course."

"Maybe you and I could chat about it sometime... But I suppose we should get to the battle for now..."

"Yeah, probably."

And so you did.

Skipping all the messy details, and the several full restores the both of you went through, the story goes fairly fast. It was a struggle, but you came out victorious.

Even in defeat, Drasna smiled. "You're quite a strong trainer!"

"Thanks! You're seriously impressive yourself. But I'm sure you hear that a lot."

"Well, I'm sure you do too." She hesitated for a moment. "Perhaps you and I could talk more... Sometime soon?"

"I'd like that..."

 

【 **Diantha** 】

Cafe Soleil was your favorite place to write.

The environment was welcoming, and though there was always a faint chatter in the background, there was never any  _true_  distractions. Save for maybe the delicious beverages and tempting treats, but those were just part of the allure. 

Another part of the allure was the interesting array of people that chose to stop in. You were often so absorbed in your work that you didn't notice the people passing by, but when you got to the end of a well thought out page, or finished a challenging paragraph, you'd often look up to see who all was there. Sometimes it was trainers, just starting out on their journeys and stopping for a while to rest. Other times, you'd find gym leaders sitting around chatting, taking a break from their regularly scheduled hard work. You weren't surprised by many of the people who decided to visit.

But seeing the Champion herself there was more than a little bit unexpected.

You had looked up from your story while taking a sip of your drink, giving yourself a minute to figure out how to word the next part of the tale. You looked around the room, curious to see who was around, and your gaze met that of a woman's who was standing in line. Her crystal blue eyes didn't stray from your own, and a small, gentle smile began to tug at the corners of her lips. And slowly a realization dawned on you.

It was Diantha.

You tried to hide your shock, choosing instead to smile back. Then, before things could take a turn to "awkward", you returned to your writing.

You heard Diantha ordering her drink.

"Medium latte, skim milk, three pumps vanilla, one pump caramel."

You caught yourself nearly writing that instead of the actual sentences you meant to.

And after a minute, you heard her receive her drink. She thanked the barista in a most sincere manner, and began to leave.

You looked up, hoping to catch her gaze on her way out. And she seemed to be hoping the same, eyes lingering on you as she made her way to the door.

When she left, you were hit with an instant wave of regret. You should have said something to her.

If there was ever a next time, you wouldn't make the same mistake.

 

【 **Lysandre** 】

You spent too much time at the Lysandre Cafe. 

 _Far_  too much time.

The baristas had learned your order by heart and would prepare it the moment you walked through the door, and if you ever felt like changing it up, they would already be able to guess your backup orders. They could tell you whether or not you'd like something on the menu, and probably knew your preferences better than  _you_  did. Meanwhile you knew more about them, and their own lives than any standard customer should have. But it was never weird. In fact, chatting with them became one of your favorite parts of the day. That's even how you made several of your friends.

But one day you approached the counter and found that there wasn't any drink sitting there for you. You weren't even greeted with any complaints about how boring the day had been.

Instead you saw the workers looking rather flustered, working frantically behind the counter. Cleaning things that already looked spotless, reorganizing everything they could get their hands on. Something was obviously off - these people  _never_  cared to work that hard.

"You guys seem busy." You remarked, watching them.

"Oh! (Y/N)!" A girl who you knew as Lola exclaimed, nearly dropping the dishes in her hands. "I'm so sorry! You weren't waiting long, right?"

"Nah, I just got in." You replied. "You don't need to apologize."

"Sorry." She apologized, for apologizing. "Things are just a little crazy today. Our boss is in so we're kind of working our asses off."

"Lola." An unfamiliar man's voice stated in a rather commanding tone. "Perhaps you  _shouldn't_  swear in front of our customers."

It was clearly the boss she had mentioned.

He approached the counter and your jaw nearly dropped. He was a well dressed man, exceedingly tall, with hair like a lion's mane, and though his eyes were a cool, icy blue, there seemed to be a fire raging behind them. You were instantly intrigued by him.

"No need to worry." Lola chirped. "That's just (Y/N). She's a regular."

"Really?" He said, turning to face you.

"Yeah." You said with a slight nod. "I've been coming here for... A while, actually." You had lost count of how long it had been since you stumbled across the cafe, but it was definitely a long time ago.

"Hm... What would you like?"

Before you could even open your mouth, Lola chimed in, telling him your order. He looked over to you and cocked his brow, like he was awaiting some sort of confirmation.

"She's got it." You weren't really impressed. It was standard for her at that point.

"Very well. Go have a seat. I'll bring it out to you when it's ready."

"What about paying?"

"This one is on me."

 

【 **AZ** 】

Wandering through Route 13 wasn't your idea of fun.

Well, it could have been, if circumstances were different.

But in the  _actual_  circumstances, you were about sixteen different kinds of unhappy.

It was your first time visiting the route, and your visit just so happened to be interrupted about half way through with an unrelenting sandstorm. If you had been more familiar with the area, you could have easily covered your eyes to the best of your ability and navigated your way to safety. But you didn't know the area, and with no way to tell where you were going, you were beginning to fear that you were completely lost.

You started to panic. Dying alone in the desert wasn't exactly on your "To Do" list, and neither was being found buried and half-mummified sixteen or so years later.

And the more you panicked, the worse things got. You weren't thinking straight - you were hardly  _walking_  straight.

Then you saw him.

A towering man, wandering alone. His footsteps seemed weary, and it looked like it had been ages since he had a place to call his home. But most importantly, he didn't seem  _lost_.

"Excuse me!" You shouted, hoping your voice was audible from so far below him, and not stifled by the roaring winds. "Excuse me!"

You were right beside him, and it was at that point that you realized that "towering" might have been an understatement.

He looked down at you without saying a word.

"Hi! Sorry. But uh. Do you have any idea how to make it to Lumiose City from here?"

He paused for a moment, seemingly pensive. 

Then he nodded, taking a few steps forward and gesturing for you to follow.

And you did, to the best of your abilities. But with your eyesight mostly obscured, and his stride being much greater than yours, you continually fell behind.

He stopped, and looked back over his shoulder. You took that as a sign you were moving too slow, and you tried to hurry up.

He hesitated, then, to your surprise, he reached out his hand.

You took it in yours, not even slightly shocked by the size.

And though you still lingered slightly behind, he didn't let go. Not until you reached the edge of the route, and you could see Lumiose City.

"Thank you so much." You said - almost missing the feeling of his hand in yours.

He nodded slightly in acknowledgement and turned to walk away.

"Wait, hold on!" You couldn't just let him wander away back into the badlands after the way he had helped you. You fished in your bag and pulled out a bottle of water. It wasn't much, but by the look of him, you couldn't help but think that it would do him some good. So whether he wanted it or not, you handed it to him, "Here. If you're heading back out, you can at least take this."

"Thank you." He said - his voice low and gravelly. You could have almost mistaken it for the storm.

"Don't mention it."


End file.
